m an unfaltering hand.

Suddenly the Chief Justice said,

"Ah, it's settled one way or the other. Here come Medland and Miss
Daisy."

In the distance the Premier appeared, walking by the pony his daughter
rode. Lady Eynesford turned to her husband and whispered appealingly,

"Need they come here, Willie?"

He shook his head in indulgent disapproval, and said to Alicia,

"Come, Al, we'll go and speak to them," and before Lady Eynesford could
declare Alicia's company unnecessary, the pair had turned their horses'
heads and were on the way to join the Medlands.

Lady Eynesford's eyes followed them. She saw the meeting, and presently
she noticed the Governor ride on with Daisy Medland, while Alicia walked
her horse and kept pace with the Premier. They passed by her on the
other side of the broad avenue, Medland acknowledging her salutation but
not crossing to speak to her. She saw Alicia's heightened colour and the
eager interest with which she bent down to catch Medland's words.
Medland spoke quickly and earnestly. Once he laughed, and Alicia's gay
peal struck on her sister-in-law's ear. Lady Eynesford, as she looked
after them, heard Sir John say to Eleanor,

"He's a wonderful man, with a very extraordinary attraction about him.
Everybody feels it who comes into personal relations with him. I know I
do. And Perry has remarked the same thing to me. Lady Perry, you know,
like all women, openly admires him. It's very amusing to see Sir
Robert's face when she praises him."

Lady Eynesford did not notice Eleanor's reply. A frown gathered on her
brow as she still gazed after the two figures. What did they mean by
talking about the man's attractiveness? He had never attracted her: and
Alicia--It suddenly struck her that Alicia's former championship of the
Premier had changed to a complete silence, and she was vaguely disturbed
by the idea of this unnatural reticence. Alicia, she knew, was friendly,
too friendly, with the girl; that did not so much matter now that Dick
was safe on board ship. But if the friendship were not only for the
daughter!

She roused herself from her reverie and turned again to Coxon. She found
him looking at her closely, with a bitter smile on his lips. She had not
noticed that Eleanor had got out and accepted Sir John's escort for a
stroll. She and Coxon were alone.

"Miss Derosne's displeasure with me," he said, "is fully explained,
isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" she asked sharply.

Fo